Read Online You're Still the One by Janet Dailey, Elizabeth Bass, Cathy Lamb, Mary Carter - Free Book Online Page A

realized how much I’d missed making pies.
    Why had my dad been so horrible? Why hadn’t he had any redeeming qualities? Why had he been so unkind to his wife and to me, a little girl who had lost her mother?
    I was so angry at him. I often thought I hated him. The hate was hurting me , though, not him.
    I would have to figure out who to give the apple pies to.
    I had apple pie for dinner that night.
    I did not look up at Jace’s house.
    But I did hear my dad’s voice in my head. You will always be a no one, Allie. Like your mother. You’re trailer trash. I’m trailer trash. You think that doctor’s ever gonna marry you? Yep. You do. Can ya hear me laughing? You’re not good enough for him and you’re stupider than I thought.
     
     
    Mr. Jezebel Rooster woke me again when the sky was still black, the morning still sleeping. I stomped outside, I don’t know why. It’s not like the rooster speaks English and would understand my swear words or that he would enter into some sort of mediation with me on how we could resolve our conflict.
    When he saw me he cock-a-doodle-doo’d again. I yelled at him to stop it. He did.
    I turned away. He cock-a-doodled.
    This went on twice more. The second time I turned and saw the lights of Jace’s truck coming down his driveway, toward the road. He would be leaving for the hospital. Through the darkness I saw him get out of the car and wave. He must have seen me in those headlights, railing against a rooster.
    “Good morning, Allie.”
    “It’s not a good morning,” I yelled back at him. “It’s too early. Come and get this rooster.”
    “I think I’ll do that soon.”
    I heard him laugh as I stomped back into my house.
    Jezebel Rooster cock-a-doodle-doo’d again.
    I missed Jace.

    That afternoon, I went on a careful, slow bike ride on my fancy bike in my fancy bike clothes.
    It reminded me that I’m not poor.
    It reminded me that Jace and I used to love to bike together around Yellowstone.
    It reminded me that we would not ride together again.
    I pedaled faster.

Chapter Eight
    The storm hit unexpectedly and took out the electricity two evenings later.
    My cell phone rang as a blast of rain smacked my windows. I picked it up and said hello without looking at the name.
    “Hi, Allie.”
    “Jace.” My voice squeaked.
    “How about if I come down and get you? No one on your side of the road has electricity.”
    “No, I’m fine.”
    In the distance I heard an earsplitting crack, like a lightning bolt, and I jumped. The lightning bolt kept crackling. “Hang on.” I kept the cell phone in my hand and ran to my window in time to see one of the giant trees behind my dad’s house crash down about six feet from the window.
    I screamed, then yelled, “Oh my gosh!”
    “What is it? What happened?” Jace shouted. “Allie!”
    “A tree crashed down right by the house. It was so close.” I heard another earsplitting crack and I cupped my hand to the window only to see a second tree fall.
    “I heard that,” Jace said. “I am coming to get you. Try not to argue much or I will have to pick you up, throw you over my shoulder like a knight in shining armor, and shove you onto my horse. Don’t think I won’t do it.”
    “I can go to a hotel.”
    “You can go to Hotel Jace. It’s close by, it’s cheap, and I don’t have to work tomorrow, so I’ll make you breakfast.”
    Trouble. Oh, that was trouble. He was trouble. “I need a room for one.”
    “You’ll have it.”
    “With a lock.”
    “I don’t have any locks on my doors.”
    “That figures.”
    “You can have your room for one, though.”
    I felt like I’d been in a room for one my whole life.
    “You can come in my room and tell me good night, Allie, then go to your room for one. I’ll be there in three minutes.”
     
     
    “Storms are great as long as they stay outside,” I drawled, sitting in front of Jace’s stone fireplace holding a huge mug of hot chocolate. He had even added marshmallows. He knew